Subjective memory complaints, personality and prefrontal symptomatology in young adults
*CorrespondenciaINTRODUCTIONThis work explores two issues related with the appearance of subjective memory complaints in young adults: on the one hand, the possibility of the complaints being a result of attentional and executive deficits and, on the other, whether certain characteristics of the personality favour and modulate the clinical expression of these complaints.
SUBJECTS AND METHODSThe Memory Failures of Everyday questionnaire, Spanish version, the Prefrontal Syndromes Inventory and the Revised Temperament and Character Inventory were administered to a sample of 1132 participants (900 from the general population and 232 on treatment for drug addiction). The correlation among the variables of the memory complaints, of prefrontal functioning in daily life and of the dimensions of personality proposed by Cloninger was explored. The causal relationships among the variables were studied using structural methods.
RESULTSA strong correlation was observed between cognitive complaints and prefrontal symptoms, suggesting that the complaints are, in fact, a result of an inadequate management of the attentional and executive functions that favours daily errors. A relationship with a large effect size is also observed between the cognitive complaints and low self-management. This dimension of the personality offers an important predictive capacity regarding the appearance and the intensity of the complaints, either directly or modulated by other dimensions, especially harm avoidance.
CONCLUSIONSThe data back the idea that memory complaints are the result of the self-perception of daily faults and errors that are produced at the attentional and executive level –although they are taken as instances of mnemonic oversight– and that the clinical expression of these complaints is modulated by a profile of the personality.: Dr. José María Ruiz Sánchez de León (buzón 119). Departamento de Psicología Básica II(Procesos Cognitivos). Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas. E-28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid).
E-mail: jm.ruiz.sdl@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION This work explores two issues related with the appearance of subjective memory complaints in young adults: on the one hand, the possibility of the complaints being a result of attentional and executive deficits and, on the other, whether certain characteristics of the personality favour and modulate the clinical expression of these complaints.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS The Memory Failures of Everyday questionnaire, Spanish version, the Prefrontal Syndromes Inventory and the Revised Temperament and Character Inventory were administered to a sample of 1132 participants (900 from the general population and 232 on treatment for drug addiction). The correlation among the variables of the memory complaints, of prefrontal functioning in daily life and of the dimensions of personality proposed by Cloninger was explored. The causal relationships among the variables were studied using structural methods.
RESULTS A strong correlation was observed between cognitive complaints and prefrontal symptoms, suggesting that the complaints are, in fact, a result of an inadequate management of the attentional and executive functions that favours daily errors. A relationship with a large effect size is also observed between the cognitive complaints and low self-management. This dimension of the personality offers an important predictive capacity regarding the appearance and the intensity of the complaints, either directly or modulated by other dimensions, especially harm avoidance.
CONCLUSIONS The data back the idea that memory complaints are the result of the self-perception of daily faults and errors that are produced at the attentional and executive level –although they are taken as instances of mnemonic oversight– and that the clinical expression of these complaints is modulated by a profile of the personality.
Sujetos y métodos Se administró el Memory Everyday Failures, versión española, el inventario de síntomas prefrontales y el inventario del temperamento y el carácter-revisado a una muestra de 1.132 participantes (900 de población general y 232 en tratamiento por adicción a drogas). Se exploró la correlación entre variables de las quejas de memoria, del funcionamiento prefrontal en la vida diaria y de las dimensiones de la personalidad propuestas por Cloninger. Se estudiaron relaciones de causalidad entre las variables mediante métodos estructurales.
Resultados Se observa una fuerte correlación entre las quejas cognitivas y la sintomatología prefrontal, lo que sugiere que las quejas son, en realidad, resultado de una inadecuada gestión atencional y ejecutiva que propicia los errores cotidianos. Se aprecia también una relación con gran tamaño del efecto entre las quejas cognitivas y la baja autodirección. Esta dimensión de la personalidad presenta una importante capacidad predictiva sobre la aparición y la intensidad de las quejas, bien directamente, bien modulada por otras dimensiones, especialmente la evitación del daño.
Conclusiones Los datos apoyan la idea de que las quejas de memoria son producto de la autopercepción de fallos y errores cotidianos provocados a nivel atencional y ejecutivo –aunque son tenidos por olvidos mnésicos–, y que la expresión clínica de dichas quejas está modulada por un perfil de la personalidad.
